TRAVERSE Issue 41 - April 2024 | Page 113

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GATORS : WILD AND IN CAPTIVITY SPIRIT OF THE SWAMP
The one-hour swamp discovery airboat tour is an amazing mix of adrenaline and nature to experience the wild side of Florida ’ s swamps . Their boats sit a maximum of six passengers , allowing for an intimate , focused tour . We saw a great mix of alligators from babies to adults , turtles , a water snake , and many impressive birds . Great Egrets , Bald Eagles , SandHill Cranes , Great Blue Herons , and Vultures are among the largest birds visible while on tour . Watching a Bald Eagle dive for dinner was a real treat , but seeing Moorhens run across the water was a whimsical surprise .
GATORLAND
After seeing the alligators in the wild from the comfort of the airboat , getting up close at Gatorland was humbling and mildly terrifying . Gatorland is home to thousands of alligators and crocodiles and a zip line over them . Securing a feeding reservation can get you closer to huge gators than you ever thought you ’ d want to be , and to make matters worse , remember that you ’ re approaching them at feeding time . I had been living a life very successfully thinking that alligators couldn ’ t jump , let alone a few feet in the air out of the water , until the Jumparoo Show . Now
a chance to see crocodillians up close , an opportunity not to be missed at Gatorland
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